Kuzul

Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy is dealing with a small fracture in his left foot and hit the disabled list on Tuesday. 

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Latest on Hardy’s Playing Status

Tuesday, May 3

The Orioles placed Hardy on the DL and recalled Ryan Flaherty from Triple-A on Tuesday, per Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. 

On Monday, ESPN’s Jim Bowden reported Hardy is expected to be out six to eight weeks with the injury, which is lengthy and indicative of the severity considering the toughness he’s shown in the past.

Hardy No Stranger to Injuries

Hardy spent time on the DL toward the beginning of each of the prior two seasons. He admitted this past October that he played the entire 2015 campaign with a torn labrum in his left shoulder—not to mention the other ailments he dealt with such as back spasms, a right groin strain and a sore oblique.

Unfortunately, the trend of sitting early on will continue in 2016, but it’s better for Hardy and the club to get it out of the way early in the year if he must leave the lineup.

That doesn’t mean Baltimore will find it easy to win without Hardy, though. The 33-year-old veteran is a key leader in the infield as a three-time Gold Glove Award winner who made only three errors in 114 games last season at short.

While his power at the plate has declined in recent years—he hit 77 homers in his first three seasons with the Orioles but has had only 19 since—Hardy is nevertheless going to be tough to replace in all areas.

Baltimore currently ranks 29th in quality starts, leaning more on its bullpen and batting order for a 14-10 record to date. The club needs its pitching staff to step up and make the defense’s job easier while Hardy recovers.

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The Baltimore Orioles may be only two games out of a wild-card spot in the American League, but they can’t like their chances of gaining ground on the Texas Rangers or New York Yankees with J.J. Hardy out of action, who has been placed on the disabled list with a groin strain.

Continue for updates.

Hardy Placed on 15-Day DL with Groin Injury

Monday, Aug. 24

The Orioles confirmed Hardy’s move to the disabled list and also designated Nolan Reimold for assignment.

“I understand the position we are in,” Hardy said via Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun on Aug. 23. “I don’t want to be having the same talk we just had. Is it going to be better tomorrow? Is it going to be better in two days? And keep dealing with that. I guess it’s just the best thing for the team, and that’s that. It sucks.”

Hardy isn’t exactly having a great year. He’s batting .220 with seven home runs and 32 runs batted in. However, the issue for Baltimore is that it doesn’t have a ready-made shortstop who can take his place in the lineup.

Ryan Flaherty will likely be the guy to take over for Hardy but has played shortstop only 49 times in his four-year MLB career, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

Hardy’s injury doesn’t preclude the Orioles from climbing to the top of the standings, but it won’t make the climb any easier. 

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On October 8, Shortstop J.J. Hardy agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in black and orange until 2017, per John Perrotto of USA Today. The deal contains a vesting option for 2018, assuming Hardy reaches a predetermined number of at-bats. Considering Hardy has only missed 61 games since joining the O’s, it seems like a good bet the club won’t have to worry about shortstop for the next four years.

As for the financials, the deal is worth $40 million.

While some might find it interesting that Hardy was granted such a sweet deal in the midst of one of his worst offensive seasons since joining Baltimore, those critics aren’t taking into account all of the little things that Hardy does well, better than nearly every other big league shortstop.

It’s well known that Hardy is one of the better fielding shortstops in the game today, as evidenced by back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2012 and 2013, but the impact he’s had on the O’s since coming over in a truly one-sided deal in 2011 has been striking.

In addition to being an integral part of the best defensive unit (by fielding percentage) in baseball history in 2013, Hardy has also done well for himself on a personal level. Despite playing just four seasons in Baltimore, he already has the 10th-highest defensive WAR (8.3) in team history.

To truly gauge the impact of Hardy, one has to take into account the impact he has at the plate as well. In fact, one can make the argument that he was the top-hitting shortstop in the American League in 2014.

The thing that gives the other three the edge is their runs scored, higher OBP and steals. This all makes sense, of course, because they’re all top-of-the-order hitters in their respective lineups. Looking beyond the standard measurements for hitting is where Hardy really edges ahead.

While Hardy’s home run total was down from his usual pace, he was a master at driving in runners in scoring position.

Taking into account that 2014 was a down year offensively for Hardy, it makes more sense to factor in the damage he did during his first three years as an Oriole when comparing him to some of the best shortstops in baseball.

More home runs than Tulowitzki, more doubles than Ramirez and a higher defensive WAR than all three combined. Toss in two Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and ZERO on- or off-the-field distractions in four years, and it’s no wonder the O’s were so keen to lock Hardy up.

Even more impressive is that the O’s only paid Hardy $26,850,000 for those four years of production while Tulowitzki was paid $39,750,000, Reyes $47,000,000 and Ramirez a whopping $57,500,000.

Still, this new contract isn’t about the past. It’s about what the O’s expect from Hardy going forward. Considering he’ll be 37 years old during the final year of his deal, it could be a gamble for the front office. This is where Dan Duquette and Co. earn high praise.

Hardy has never been known for his speed. He’s never been known for his high-walk or low-strikeout totals. He’s never been considered a flashy defender. What he is is a solid defender who puts himself in great position before the ball ever gets hit to him, eliminating the need for diving plays or throws from the outfield. What he is is a power-hitting shortstop who drives in runs even when he’s not hitting home runs.

Aging four years shouldn’t hinder Hardy’s ability to do any of these things.

All advanced statistics via Baseball-Reference.com

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We’ve reached the midway point in the 2013 MLB season, and the Baltimore Orioles have provided plenty of intrigue during the first few months.

There have been plenty of surprises (Manny Machado’s doubles, Chris Davis’ home runs) and just as many disappointments (pitching struggles, injuries) throughout the season so far, as baseball often provides.

Heading into the second half, one interesting thing to keep an eye on will be whether or not players having strong years can keep that going as well as struggling players turning their years around.

Let’s take a look at how I think the second half of the season will treat every Orioles player.

Begin Slideshow

A report surfaced this morning out of Baltimore saying that the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles had discussions on a possible three-way trade with pitcher Rick Porcello and shortstop J.J. Hardy being part of the deal.

Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reported:

“I heard last night that the Tigers and Cubs are discussing a potential trade involving pitcher Rick Porcello, who also interests the Orioles. Now here’s the rumored kicker: The Tigers are trying to get the Orioles involved because they want shortstop J.J. Hardy, and they don’t feel as though the Cubs have the necessary components to make it a two-team trade.”

This makes sense from a Cubs standpoint since they lost out on their main target—pitcher Anibal Sanchez—earlier this offseason when he elected to re-sign with the Tigers. The Cubs then went out and signed Edwin Jackson to a four-year deal.

While Jackson is considered a solid pitcher and a workhorse, Porcello is younger at 24-years-old and he has the potential to develop into a top two or three pitcher in a rotation. No one knows what the Cubs would be giving up, but their role in this trade is perplexing.
Kubatko also says he can’t see the Orioles trading Hardy unless they get a great offer:

“I still don’t think the Orioles are willing to part with Hardy unless they’re absolutely overwhelmed by an offer. They love the left side of their infield. They’re not looking to shift Manny Machadoto shortstop in 2013. Also, since the Orioles have discussed Porcello, why would they need the Cubs to get involved? Just deal directly.”

Jon Morosi from Fox Sports also mentioned the Orioles’ interest in December:

Sources: #Tigers have spoken with multiple teams about Rick Porcello. #Orioles and #Mariners among those involved. @mlbonfox

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 20, 2012

All of this suggests that the Tigers and Orioles each have a known need so why are the Cubs involved? It could part of a bigger deal that would include pitcher Matt Garza or outfielder Alfonso Soriano. If Soriano was involved then the Cubs would need to eat the majority of his $13 million salary this season.

From a Tigers perspective, Hardy would be an upgrade over Jhonny Peralta. Hardy, who is signed through the 2014 season, is great defensively and can also provide decent power. His strikeouts are on the high side but the Tigers would be able to live with it since he more than likely will be able to hit above .275.

On another note, the Tigers trading Porcello is a big mistake. He can still mature and find a reliable third pitch, and young starting pitchers capable of delivering 10-14 wins per season are tough to find. That being said, the Tigers are in win-now mode and acquiring Hardy would make them a better team.

Who knows if anything will come of these talks, but January just got a lot more interesting for the Tigers, Cubs and Orioles.

Follow @brettkaplan

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J.J. Hardy, SS Baltimore Orioles (23 percent owned in Yahoo, 37.1 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .288 AVG / 19 R / 6 HR / 19 RBI / 0 SB

Hardy has been a monster the past 14 days hitting .375 AVG, 11 R, four HR, seven RBI. It seems like everyone has forgotten his ’07 and ’08 seasons with the Brewers when he hit .280 AVG, 167 R, 50 HR, 164 RBI. I am writing off last year as a fluke because Target Field is a tough place to call home. Now he is in a park that is very friendly to right-handed hitters.

My Projection: .279 AVG / 80 R / 20 HR / 65 RBI / 2 SB

Michael Brantley, OF Cleveland Indians (49 percent owned in Yahoo, 83 percent in ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .293 AVG / 35 R / 5 HR / 26 RBI / 8 SB

You Yahoo people need to get with the program. I don’t know what else this guy has to do to be more universally owned. He is sitting atop a good AL lineup that will continue to score runs, he is taking walks at a decent clip and the batting average should stick. I would like to see him be more active on the base paths because he has shown the ability in the minors and don’t expect 15 home runs.

My Projection: .290 AVG / 100 R / 10 HR / 62 RBI / 29 SB

Corey Patterson, OF Toronto Blue Jays (43 percent owned in Yahoo, 77.8 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .293 AVG / 35 R / 5 HR / 28 RBI / 9 SB

If Brantley isn’t available in your league, hopefully Patterson is because you are getting similar production. He has not consistently hit for high average in his career (.255 career AVG) but it should remain respectable if he continues to hit in front of Bautista and Lind. His .153 ISO is in-line with his career mark of .151 ISO so 15 HR is not out of the question. He has been caught stealing 6 times but the Jays are very aggressive on the bases so he still has the green light.

My Projection: .270 AVG / 85 R / 15 HR / 65 RBI / 30 SB

Mark Trumbo, 1B Los Angeles Angels (34 percent owned in Yahoo, 79.2 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .252 AVG / 23 R / 11 HR / 29 RBI / 6 SB

Mark Trumbo’s Yahoo ownership level baffles me. In the minors last year, he hit .299 AVG with 36 HR and he is showing the same type of power in the majors. This guy is a near lock for 25 HR and the stolen bases are an added bonus. He has been hitting out of the seven spot more often than I would like but he may get an opportunity to move up.

My Projection: 250 AVG / 65 R / 26 HR / 79 RBI / 12 SB

Miguel Olivo, C Seattle Mariners (31 percent owned in Yahoo, 29.2 percent ESPN)

Current Stat Line: .241 AVG / 28 R / 8 HR / 30 RBI / 2 SB

In a year that the catcher position is so thin, Olivo deserves a good look. Seattle may not have the best lineup in the world (or 28th best) but Olivo is batting cleanup or fifth everyday for the Mariners. In the past seven games he has four HR and 11 RBI. He may finish the year as a top ten catcher so give him a shot.

My Projection: .250 AVG / 72 R / 22 HR / 85 RBI / 4 SB

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Brian “Killboy” Kilpatrick is a Senior Writer for 4thandHome.com, where this, and other work, can be found. Additionally, he is co-host of The 4th and Home Show on Blog Talk Radio.

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